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{{Short description|English Jesuit priest (died 1601)}}
Blessed '''Roger Filcock''' (died [[1601]]), Catholic priest, martyr.
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{EngvarB|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox saint
| honorific prefix = Blessed
| name = Roger Filcock
| image = Melchior küsel-rogelio filcock.jpg
| birth_place = [[Sandwich, Kent]], England
| death_date = 27 February 1601
| death_place = London
| beatified_date = 22 November 1987
| feast_day = 27 February
| beatified_by = [[John Paul II]]
}}


'''Roger Filcock''' (alias Arthur Naylor)<ref name=sanalbano>[http://www.sanalbano.org/home/college-saints-and-martyrs/roger-filcock-sj/ "Blessed Roger Filcock", San Albano, Valladolid]</ref> (died 27 February 1601, London) was an English [[Society of Jesus|Jesuit]] priest. He was [[beatified]] as a Catholic martyr by Pope [[John Paul II]] on 22 November 1987.
He was from [[Sandwich, Kent|Sandwich]] in [[Kent]], [[England]]. born the son of Simon and Margaret Lowe or Low of London in [[1553]]. He entered the English College at [[Reims|Rheims]], arriving on [[June 15]] [[1581]]. From there he was sent with the others on [[September 29]] to the College at Valladolid, where he arrived on [[February 20]] [[1591]]. There is no record of where and when he was ordained a priest, but this happened by October [[1597]], when he left the College and sailed from Bilbao to Calais in December. His desire was to enter the [[Society of Jesus]], but it was considered prudent that he first gain some experience on the mission, as indeed he did. He was admitted as a Jesuit novice by Father Garnet in [[1600]] and should have proceeded to Flanders to the novitiate, but was in the meantime arrested on suspicion of being a priest and sent to [[Newgate]] gaol in London. The trial was a travesty.


==Life==
⚫
During his time as a missioner he had known Mrs. [[Anne Line]], a widow whose husband had died in exile after being caught attending Mass, and who had managed a variety of safe-houses for priests and lay faithful. Filcock had also been Mrs. Line's confessor. On Candlemas Day, 1601, Father Francis Page, S.J. was about to celebrate Mass in her lodgings when priest-catchers broke in. The priest escaped in the confusion but his hostess was arrested and put on trial at the Old Bailey on [[February 26]] [[1602|1601/2]], indicted under the Act of 27 Eliz. for harbouring a priest. Though this could not be proved, she was condemned and the next day she led to the gallows. She was executed at the same occasion as Dom [[Mark Barkworth]], O.S.B., as and Father Filcock, who had gone on trial on [[February 23]]
Born at [[Sandwich, Kent]], England,<ref>[https://archive.org/stream/menologyofenglan00stanrich#page/88/mode/2up Stanton, Richard, "Roger Filcock", ''A Menology of England and Wales'', p.88, Burns & Oates, Ltd., London, 1892]</ref> the son of Simon and Margaret Lowe (or Low), he entered the English College at [[Reims|Rheims]] on 15 June 1581.


He studied at the English college in Rheims, France, and was amongst the first students to go to St Alban's seminary in Valladolid, Spain, where he was ordained in 1597. He desired to enter the Society of Jesus, but it was considered prudent that he first gain some experience on the mission.
This execution of Catholics was the first at [[Tyburn, London|Tyburn]] since 1595, and it is probable that the aim was to divert public attention from the unpopular trial and execution of [[Robert Devereux]], Earl of Essex.


He headed for Calais, France, on a ship which was pursued by Dutch ships. Rather than permitting themselves to be taken captive, many passengers jumped ship and successfully made it to shore. Filcock however, was captured but managed to escape and landed on the Kent shore of England in early 1598 where he assumed the alias of Arthur and began his priestly ministry.<ref name=singapore>[http://www.jesuit.org.sg/html/companions/saints.martys/february/roger.filcock.html "Blessed Roger Filcock, SJ", The Jesuits (Singapore)]</ref> He was admitted as a Jesuit novice by [[Henry Garnet]] in 1600.
Roger Filcock was beatified by Pope [[John Paul II]] on [[November 22]] [[1987]].


While waiting to go to Flanders for his novitiate, Filcock was apprehended, betrayed by a former fellow student at Valladolid and sent to Newgate prison in London. In 1601, Filcock was charged for being a priest but he would neither admit nor deny, insisting that witnesses and evidence be brought forth. As none was forthcoming, he was brought for trial and heard the indictment against him. He requested to be tried without jury because he did not want the verdict, which he knew would be against him, to be on the jurors’ consciences. Nevertheless, the judge directed the jury to find the defendant guilty and Filcock was sentenced to the gallows for high treason.<ref name=singapore/>
⚫
===Sources===


During his time as a missioner he had known [[Anne Line]], a convert to the Catholic faith and widow whose husband had died in exile after being caught attending Mass. She had managed a variety of safe-houses for priests and lay faithful. Filcock had also been Line's confessor.
⚫
The most reliable compact source is Godfrey Anstruther, ''Seminary Priests'', St Edmund's College, Ware, vol. 1, 1968, pp. 21-22, 116, 274-275.

⚫
On Candlemas Day, 1601, [[Francis Page (martyr)|Francis Page]] was about to celebrate Mass in her lodgings when priest-catchers broke in. The priest escaped in the confusion but his hostess was arrested and put on trial at the Old Bailey on 26 February 1601, indicted for harbouring a priest. She was condemned and led to the gallows the next day. She was executed at the same occasion as Dom [[Mark Barkworth]], a [[Benedictine]] monk, and Filcock,<ref name=sanalbano/> who had gone on trial on 23 February. This was the first execution of Catholics at [[Tyburn, London|Tyburn]] since 1595.

Roger Filcock was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 22 November 1987.<ref>[http://www.rcsouthwark.co.uk/?FromCatholicDirectoryOrg "Dover Deanery visit Tyburn to venerate local martyr", Archdiocese of Southwark]</ref>

==See also==
* [[Douai Martyrs]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

⚫
==Sources==
⚫
The most reliable compact source is Godfrey Anstruther's ''Seminary Priests'', St Edmund's College, Ware, vol. 1, 1968, pp.&nbsp;21–22, 116, 274–275.

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[[Category:16th-century births]]
[[Category:1601 deaths]]
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[[Category:Catholic martyrs of the Early Modern era]]
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[[Category:Eighty-five martyrs of England and Wales]]
[[Category:Executed Roman Catholic priests]]

Latest revision as of 13:12, 3 February 2024

Blessed

Roger Filcock
BornSandwich, Kent, England
Died27 February 1601
London
Beatified22 November 1987 by John Paul II
Feast27 February

Roger Filcock (alias Arthur Naylor)[1] (died 27 February 1601, London) was an English Jesuit priest. He was beatified as a Catholic martyr by Pope John Paul II on 22 November 1987.

Life[edit]

Born at Sandwich, Kent, England,[2] the son of Simon and Margaret Lowe (or Low), he entered the English College at Rheims on 15 June 1581.

He studied at the English college in Rheims, France, and was amongst the first students to go to St Alban's seminary in Valladolid, Spain, where he was ordained in 1597. He desired to enter the Society of Jesus, but it was considered prudent that he first gain some experience on the mission.

He headed for Calais, France, on a ship which was pursued by Dutch ships. Rather than permitting themselves to be taken captive, many passengers jumped ship and successfully made it to shore. Filcock however, was captured but managed to escape and landed on the Kent shore of England in early 1598 where he assumed the alias of Arthur and began his priestly ministry.[3] He was admitted as a Jesuit novice by Henry Garnet in 1600.

While waiting to go to Flanders for his novitiate, Filcock was apprehended, betrayed by a former fellow student at Valladolid and sent to Newgate prison in London. In 1601, Filcock was charged for being a priest but he would neither admit nor deny, insisting that witnesses and evidence be brought forth. As none was forthcoming, he was brought for trial and heard the indictment against him. He requested to be tried without jury because he did not want the verdict, which he knew would be against him, to be on the jurors’ consciences. Nevertheless, the judge directed the jury to find the defendant guilty and Filcock was sentenced to the gallows for high treason.[3]

During his time as a missioner he had known Anne Line, a convert to the Catholic faith and widow whose husband had died in exile after being caught attending Mass. She had managed a variety of safe-houses for priests and lay faithful. Filcock had also been Line's confessor.

On Candlemas Day, 1601, Francis Page was about to celebrate Mass in her lodgings when priest-catchers broke in. The priest escaped in the confusion but his hostess was arrested and put on trial at the Old Bailey on 26 February 1601, indicted for harbouring a priest. She was condemned and led to the gallows the next day. She was executed at the same occasion as Dom Mark Barkworth, a Benedictine monk, and Filcock,[1] who had gone on trial on 23 February. This was the first execution of Catholics at Tyburn since 1595.

Roger Filcock was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 22 November 1987.[4]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Blessed Roger Filcock", San Albano, Valladolid
  2. ^ Stanton, Richard, "Roger Filcock", A Menology of England and Wales, p.88, Burns & Oates, Ltd., London, 1892
  3. ^ a b "Blessed Roger Filcock, SJ", The Jesuits (Singapore)
  4. ^ "Dover Deanery visit Tyburn to venerate local martyr", Archdiocese of Southwark

Sources[edit]

The most reliable compact source is Godfrey Anstruther's Seminary Priests, St Edmund's College, Ware, vol. 1, 1968, pp. 21–22, 116, 274–275.

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